Why is breastfeeding recommended?
It is accepted that breast milk (colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk) is the first choice to help your baby grow and develop. The benefits for your baby include:
- Providing the ideal nutrition (breast milk has the perfect amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals, and is easy to digest),
- Providing antibodies to protect against illness while baby’s immune system develops,
- Lowering the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and other diseases developing in childhood,
- Lowering infant mortality.
The benefits for mothers include:
- Increasing bonding and relaxation,
- Reducing costs,
- Having the convenience of breastmilk available,
- Lowering the risk of future breast and ovarian cancers.
If breastfeeding is not possible or not enough breast milk is produced by mothers with SCI, then feeding with formula or donated breast milk from a milk bank is both necessary and encouraged.
Refer to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s 10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed Your Baby and the World Health Organization Infant and Young Child Feeding chapter for more information.
